Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett is reporting that con artists are using a Super Bowl scam letter to fleece unsuspecting football fans.
“The scam letter, which implies that the contest is affiliated with the NFL and VISA, informs consumers that they have won a prize of $100,000 and two tickets to the Super Bowl,” Corbett said. “The letter also includes a check for several thousand dollars that consumers are supposed to use to pay the taxes for their prize – wire transferring the money to a ‘claim agent’ who will verify their winnings.”
Corbett said the criminals, mainly based in Canada or overseas, have been using these types of sweepstakes notifications to lure consumers into cashing counterfeit checks and wire-transferring money for several months.
“The lure of a large cash prize, combined with tickets to the Super Bowl, may be too much of a temptation for some consumers,” Corbett said. “Unfortunately, consumers who try to claim their prize by sending money to these scam artists will quickly learn that there is no $100,000 jackpot, there are no Super Bowl tickets, and the check they were given to pay the taxes will eventually be returned as counterfeit or forged.”
Corbett also encouraged fans considering a trip to Florida for the game to shop carefully for their travel packages or tickets.
“In the past, our office has heard from consumers who fell victim to phony travel agents and ticket sellers,” Corbett said. “In several cases, consumers learned at the gate that their tickets were counterfeit and they were denied entry. In other cases, fans purchased hotel rooms that were inconveniently located. Still others told our office that they were quoted a certain amount on a Super Bowl package and were charged additional fees for services that they thought were included.”
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